Environmental Engineering Flashcards
A tool used by project planners whereby proposed projects are analyzed for the possible impact that their implementation may have on the environment
Environmental Impact Assessment System
It is used to predict the impact of the project to the environment
Aldo Leopold Matrix
Known as the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System
PD 1586
Basic DENR policy
to attain and maintain a rational and orderly balance between economic growth and environmental protection
A measure of capacity of the environment to absorb impacts within recovery threshold so there is no significant deterioration of resources to a point where sustainable ecosystem function is impaired
Carrying Capacity
surrounding air, water, land, flora, fauna, humans and their interrelations
Environment
It is any activity which may have varying levels of significance of impact on the environment
Project/Undertaking
It is an industry whose project operation stage involves chemical, mechanical or other processes
Process Industry
any natural or juridical person intending to implement a project or undertaking
Proponent
entities who may be directly or significantly affected by the project or undertaking
Stakeholders
a professional or group of professionals commissioned by the proponent to prepare the EIS/IEE and other documents
Environmental Impact Assessment Consultant
A body of independent technical experts and professionals of known probity from various fields organized by the EMB to evaluate the EIS and other related documents and to make appropriate recommendations regarding issuance or non-issuance of an ECC
Environmental Impact Assessment Review Committee
Community based multi sectoral team organized for the purpose of monitoring the Proponent’s compliance with ECC conditions, EMP and applicable laws, rules and regulations
Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT)
the director of the DENR-EMB at the central office
EMB Director
the Director of the DENR-EMB at the Regional Office
EMB RD/ EMB RO Director
The document issued by the DENR-EMB certifying that based on the representations of the proponent and the preparers, as reviewed and validated by the EIARC, the proposed project or undertaking will not cause a significant negative environmental impact, that the proponent has compiled with all the requirements of the EIS System
Environmental Compliance Certificate
a certification issued by the EMB certifying that, based on the submitted project description, the project is not covered by the EIS System and is not required to secure an ECC
Certificate of Non Coverage (CNC)
Remaining impacts after implementation of preventive and mitigating measures
Residual Impacts
Additive impacts from various sources
Cumulative Impacts
impacts which damage the environment to the point that the environmental resource loses its capacity to sustain life or to continue functioning within baseline levels and efficiency
Significant impacts
Fund to be set up by a project proponent which shall be readily accessible and disbursable for the immediate clean up or rehabilitation of areas affected by damages in the environment and the resulting deterioration of environmental quality as a direct consequence of a project’s construction, operation or abandonment
Environmental Guarantee Fund (EGF)
Fund that a proponent shall set up after an ECC is issued for its project or undertaking, to be used to support the activities of the multi-partite monitoring team.
Environmental Monitoring Fund (EMF)
process that involves evaluating and predicting the likely impacts of a project on the environment during construction, commissioning, operation and abandonment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Assessment, through the use of university accepted and scientific methods, of risks associated with a project.
Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA)
Capability of Proponents to mitigate environmental impacts of projects or programs
Environmental Performance
It is open, transparent, gender-sensitive, and community-based public involvement in the EIA process, aimed at ensuring the social acceptability of a project design and development and continuing until post-assessment monitoring
Public Participation:
Acceptability of a project by affected communities based on timely and informed participated in the EIA process particularly with regard to environmental impacts that are of concern to them
Social Acceptability
The stage in the EIS system where information and project impact assessment requirements are more definitely established and focused to provide the proponent and the stakeholders for the final scope of work and terms for the EIS
Scoping
Phase in the ECC application review process to check for the completeness the required documents, conducted by EIAM Division at the EMB
Procedural Review
Describes the nature, configuration, use of raw materials and natural resources, production system, waste or pollution generation and control and the activities of a proposed project
Projection Description
Prepared and submitted by the project proponent and/or EIA Consultant that serves as an application for an ECC.
Environmental Impact Statement
It is a document similar to an EIS, but with reduced details and depth of assessment and discussion
Initial Environmental Examination Report (IEER)
Simplified checklist version of an IEE report, prescribed by the DENR to be filled up by a proponent to identify and assess a project’s environmental impacts and the mitigation/enhancement measures to address such impacts
Initial Environmental Examination Checklist Report (IEECR)
Documentation of the actual cumulative environmental impacts and effectiveness of current measures for single projects that are already operating but without ECCs
Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (EPRMP):
Documentation of comprehensive studies on environmental baseline conditions of a contiguous area.
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIs)
Documentation of actual cumulative environmental impacts of co-located projects with proposals for expansion.
Programmatic Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (PEPRM)
Section in the EIS that details the prevention, mitigation, compensation, contingency and monitoring measures to enhance positive impacts and minimize negative impacts and risks of a proposed project or undertaking
Environmental Management Plan/Program (EMP)
refers to the EMB PEPP EMS as provided for under DAO 2003-14, which is a part of the overall management system of a project of organization that includes environmental policy, organizational structure planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining an improved overall environmental performance
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
It specifies the requirements of an environmental management systems for small to large organizations.
ISO 14001
To enhance planning and guide decision-making
Purpose of the EIA process
Primarily presented in the context of a requirement to integrate environmental concerns in the planning process of projects at the feasibility stage
Environmental Impact Assessment
During which a proponent defines its range of actions and consider project alternatives
Feasibility Study stage
Proclaiming certain areas and types of projects as Environmentally Critical and within the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement system established under PD 1586
Proclamation no. 2146 of Dec. 14, 1981
A project that has high potential significant impacts
Environmentally Critical Projects (ECPs)
ECP types
Heavy Industries, Resource Extractive Industries, Infrastructure Projects, Golf course projects
An area that is environmentally sensitive
Projects located in Environmentally Critical Areas
How many categories are there of ECA
12
NIPAS
National Integrated Protected Areas System
PAWB
Protected Areas & Wildlife Bureau
CENRO
Community Environment & Natural Resources
PENRO
Provincial Environment & Natural Resources
Determines if the project is within the purview of EIS
Screening
It is done with the local community through public scoping with the third party, the REVCOM, with the participation of the EMB
Scoping
Stage of EIA. Involves the documents involving the description of the project, baseline data, impact identification and prediction, evaluation of impact significance
EIA Study and Report Preparation
Screening review and evaluation of the document
EIA Report Review and evaluation
Decision resulting to the issuance of an ECC, CNC, or denial letter
Decision Making
Stage wherein it assesses the performance of the proponent against the ECC
Monitoring, Validation and Evaluation Audit
The EIS process emphasizes the importance of it in broadening the responsibilities for environmental protection and in promoting social progress and equity
Public participation
A process required in the conduct of EIA in order for the affected communities to have timely and informed participation
Social Preparation Process
Frontliners for all projects impacts, whether positive or negative
Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) System
Minor or Major Amendment. Expansion of the project area w/in catchment described in EIA
Major Amendment
Minor or Major Amendment. Addition of new product
Major Amendment
Minor or Major Amendment. Typographical Errors
Minor Amendment
Minor or Major Amendment. Increase in production capacity or auxiliary component of the original project
Major Amendment
Minor or Major Amendment. Extension of ECC validity
Minor Amendment
Minor or Major Amendment. Extension of deadlines for submission of post ECC requirements
Minor Amendment
Authority to Impose Fines and Penalties
Directors of the EMB Central Office or Regional Office
Who may issue a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) based on violations under the Philippine EIS system which cannot be attributed to specific environmental laws
The EMB director or the EMB-RD
Major or Minor Offense. Exceedance of project limit or area
Major Offense
Major or Minor Offense. Major change in project process or technology
Major Offenses
Major or Minor Offense. Non-submission or delay in submission of reports/requirements
Minor Offense
Major or Minor Offense. Delay or failure to implement ECC Conditions which do not have significant impacts to the environment
Minor Offense
Who can impose fines
The Secretary, EMB Director or the RD
How much do the projects operating w/o an ECC get to pay?
P50,000.00
The branch of science which is basically concerned with the interactions between organisms and their surroundings
Ecology
He studied the ecological succession in 1990
Henry Chandler Cowles
The first person to stress the importance of the relationships between plants and animals and the idea of ecology as a study of communities of organism
Victor Shelford
He made the concept of food chains and webs as part of ecology
Charles Elton
He wrote Game Management, beginning the discipline of wildlife management
Aldo Leopold
Everything that affects an organism during its lifetime
Environment
Simply single living organism
Organism
The members of a given species in a given area
Population
Levels of organization
Individual Population Communities Ecosystem Biome Biosphere
It is called the “skin of life” that includes the thin envelope of life that surrounds the earth’s surface
Biosphere
Includes the soil and sediments where organisms live
Lithosphere
It is the liquid or frozen water on or near the surface of the lithosphere
Hydrosphere
It is a region of gases, particulate matter and water vapor
Atmosphere
The lowest portion of Earth’s atmosphere
Troposphere
2nd major layer of Earth’s atmosphere, just above the troposphere and below the mesosphere
Stratosphere
Branch of ecology that deals with the biological relationship between an individual organism or an individual species and its environment
Autecology
Study of ecological interrelationships among communities of organisms
Synecology
Include all forms of life in the environment
Biotic factors
Non-living factors
Abiotic Factors
Process plants use to convert inorganic material into organic matter with the assistance of light energy
Photosynthesis
The green photosynthesis pigment found in the chloroplast
Chlorophyll
A plastid that contains chlorophyll and is the site of photosynthesis
Chloroplast
Environmental factors that limit growth rate of a population
Environmental resistance
Determines the success of a particular kind of organism more than any other factor
Limiting factor
Upper and lower limits to the range particular environmental factors within which and organism can survive
Limits of tolerance
Number of offspring that could theoretically exist if all offspring survived and produced young
Biotic potential
The space that the organism or community inhabits; the place where it lives
Habitat
Functional role the organism/species plays in a community
Niche
The process that causes organisms to adapt to their environment
Natural selection
Change in the characteristics shown by the organisms and the kinds of organisms present during the process of natural selection
Evolution
Production of new species from previously existing species
Speciation
Relationship in which neither population is affected by association with the other
Neutralism
Kind of interaction in which 2 organism strive to obtain the same limited resources and in the process both organisms are harmed to some extent
Competition
It is competition between members of the same species
Intraspecific competition
It is competition between different species
Interspecific competition
Relationship in which one population is inhibited by an external factor and the other is not affected
Amensalism
One species benefits while the other species is harmed
Parasitism
Dependent organism
Parasite
The species that is harmed
Host
It is parasites that live on the surface of their hosts
Ectoparasite
It is parasites which live inside the bodies of their hosts
Endoparasites
It occurs when one animal, kills and eats the other
Predation
Relationship in which one species benefits while the other is not harmed/affected
Commensalism
Favorable to both organisms. But not obligatory to them
Protocooperation
Relationship wherein both species benefit from each other
Mutualism
Graphical representation design to show the bio-productivity at each trophic level in a given ecosystem
Ecological pyramids
ultimate source of all energy
Sun
organisms that uses an outside source of energy to create enery-rich food molecules
Producers
organisms that cannot create energy-rich molecules but obtains its food by eating other organisms
Consumers
consume wastes and dead organism
Decomposers
organisms which can synthesize their own complex, energy rich, organic molecules from simple inorganic molecules
Autotrophs
Organisms who must obtain complex, energy rich, organic compounds from the bodies of other organisms
Heterotrophs
Heterotrophic organisms who secrete digestive enzymes onto dead organism matter and absorb the digested material
Saprotrophs
Heterotrophic organisms who ingest dead organic matter
Detritivores
Dead or decaying organic matter
Detritus
Each step in the flow of energy through an ecosystem
Trophic Level
Graphical model of energy flow in a community
Pyramid of energy
A graphical representation that depicts the biomass existent in per unit area in all the different level of ecological system
Pyramid of Biomass
Number of organisms in a food chain can be represented graphically in a pyramid. Each bar represents the number of individuals at each trophic level in the food chain
Pyramid of numbers
- The passage of energy from one trophic level to the next as a result of one organism consuming another
Food chain
Made up of several overlapping and intersecting food chains
Food web
Natural biological, geological and chemical process that occur in different ecosystems; facilitate the self-regulating process of an ecosystem
Biogeochemical cycle
- Water on soil, plants and bodies of water evaporate into the atmosphere, collect into clouds and return as rain
Water cycle
ability of a rock or sediment to let fluids pass through its open spaces or pores
Permeability
the process of a liquid seeping into the ground
Percolation
- Bacteria that are able to convert the nitrogen gas in the atmosphere into forms that plants can use
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Bacteria that are able to convert nitrite to atmospheric nitrogen gas
Denitrifying bacteria
Regular, predictable changes in the structure of a community over time
Succession
relatively stable, long lasting, more complex, and interrelated community of pants, animals, fungi and bacteria
Climax community
each step in the succession process
Successional or seral stage
the entire sequence of stages of succession (from pioneer community to climax community)
Sere
Terrestrial climax communities with wide geographical distribution
Biomes
Receives less than 25cm of precipitation per year
Desert
Receives between 25 and 75 cm of precipitation per year. Windy with hot summers and cold to mild winters
Grasslands
Extensive grasslands w/ occasional or patches of trees. Typically tropical with 50-150 cm of rain per year
Savanna
○ Has an average temperature of 25degC. Receive 200-500 cm or more rain per year
Tropical rain forest
Receive 100cm or more of relatively evenly distributed precipitation per year
Temperate deciduous forest
Receives 25-100 cm precipitation per year. Climate is humid because of the generally low temperature during all parts of the year
Coniferous forest
Cold, dry, treeless biome with less than 25 cm of precipitation per year
Tundra
Free-swimming organisms in the ocean
Pelagic animals
The upper region of bodies of water where the sun’s rays penetrate thus, where phytoplankton are located
Euphotic zone
Microscopic, floating algae that carry on photosynthesis in pelagic ecosystem
Phytoplankton
Small, weakly swimming animals that feed on phytoplankton
Zooplankton
Organisms that live on the ocean bottom
Benthic organism
Commonly called seaweeds, are common attached photosynthetic organisms in shallow water
Kelp
important in determining the kind of benthic community that develops
Substrate
Located at great depths on the ocean that rely on continuous rain of organic matter from the euphotic zone
Abyssal ecosystem
Result of large numbers of small sea animals (called corals) that secrete external skeletons
Coral reef ecosystem
Occupy a region near the shore where the water is shallow and wave action is not too great so that mangroves can become established
Mangrove Swamp Ecosystem
Tropical trees that are able to live in very wet, salty muds along the ocean shore
Mangroves
Consist of shallow, partially enclosed areas where freshwater enters the ocean
Estuaries
The study of bodies of freshwater
Limnology
The formation of water layers based on salinity and temperature
Stratification
Lakes are similar in structure to oceans except that the species are different because most marine organisms cannot live in freshwater
Lake ecosystem
The region with rooted vegetation
Littoral zone
The portion of the lake that does not have rooted vegetation
Limnetic zone
Deep, cold, nutrient-poor lakes that are low in productivity
Oligotrophic lakes
Moderately productive
Mesotrophic lakes
Shallow, warm, nutrient-rich lakes
Eutrophic lake
The formation of water layers based on salinity and temperature
Stratification
Layer of water where sunlight is sufficient for photosynthesis
Euphotic zone
A deep zone of an inland body of freestanding water located below the range of effective light penetration. Typically below the thermocline
Profundal zone
Lake bottom sediment
Benthic zone
Thick but distinct layer in a large body of fluid in which temperature changes more rapidly with depth than it does in the layers above or below
Thermocline
Sudden dramatic mass fish death caused by insufficient oxygen in a frozen lake
Winterkill
No light present
Aphotic
the top most layer in a thermally stratified lake. It is warmer and typically has a higher pH and higher DO concentration than the hypolimnion
Epilimnion
the dense, bottom layer of water in a thermally-stratified lake. The layer that lies below the thermocline. The coldest layer of a lake in summer, and the warmest layer during winter
Hypolimnion
Collection of algae, animals and fungi
Periphyton
Area of trees that are able to live in places that are either permanently flooded or flooded for a major part of the year
Swamps
Areas that are dominated by grasses and reeds
Marshes
lands with areas not less than 1 hectare and 60 m wide, which are at least 10% stocked with forest trees, wild palms, bamboos or bushes
Forest
Areas once covered with tropical moist forest, converted to plantation forest, fire-climax cogon grassland and reproduction brushlands
Marginal land
Denuded forest lands, croplands and grazing lands that have been abandoned, including areas of exposed soil resulting from landslides or erosion
Open lands
Land with natural grass cover, devoid of trees or with very few isolated trees
Grasslands
Large tracts of land naturally vegetated with native grasses, herbs or shrubs of valuable forage
Rangelands
Lands primarily used for the production of forage plants, naturally or artificially. These are maintained through proper grazing management
Grazing lands
small lands usually fenced mainly for raising forage plants for domestic livestock
Pasturelands
refers to the productive efforts whereby natural resources are put to use without jeopardizing their capacity for renewal
agriculture
the strip of land and adjacent lake or ocean space in which ecology and land use directly affect the ocean space ecology and vice-versa
Coastal zone
a complex mixture of inorganic materials, decaying organic matter, water, air, and a great array of organisms
Soil
young soil, like those recently formed along a stream
Entisols
igh in clay, large ‘shrink-well” capacity
Vertisols
young soil beginning to show horizon development
Inceptisols
soils with organic component in dry regions
Aridsols
ertile soils with high organic content, very fertil
Mollisols
acidic and sandy, developing in cool, moist climates
Spodosols
moderately acidic clay soils, above average agricultural soils
Alfisols
old soils which have been leached; low fertility
Utisols
high in iron, highly acidic, low in nutrients
Oxisols
high organic content, poorly drained
Histosls
volcanic deposition (lava flow)
Andisols
Environmentally Critical Projects in either ECA or NECA
Group 1
NECP in ECA
Group 2
NECP in NECA
Group 3
Co-located projects in either ECA or NECA
Group 4
Unclassified
Group 5
Environmental Impact Statement Maximum time of it getting processed
120 wd
Environmental Performance Report Management Plan. Maximum time
90 wd
Environmental Impact Statement. Maximum time
60 wd
Initial Environmental Examination Report. Maximum time
60wd
IEECR. Maximum time
30 wd
PDR. Maximum Time
15 wd
EPRMP. Maximum time
30wd
PDR. Maximum Time.
15wd
PEIS. Maximum time
180wd
PEPRMP. Maximum time
120wd
Limit # of pages of PEIS
350 pages
Limit # of pages of EIS
250 pages
Limit # of pages of PEPRMP
200 pages
Limit # of pages of EPRMP
150 pages
Limit # of pages of IEER
75 pages
Limit of # of pages of PDR
10 pages
of copies of EIA report req. to be submitted for PEIS
10 hard + 1 CD
of copies of EIA Report req. to be submitted for EIS
7 hard + 1 CD
of copies of EIA Report req. to be submitted for PEPRMP
5 hard + 1 CD
of copies of EIA Report req. to be submitted for EPRMP
5 hard + 1 CD
Frequency of submission of CMR
Semi-annual
Frequency of submission for SMR
Quarterly
Frequency of submission for CMVR
Semi-annually
Frequency of submission for CER
Prepared semi-annually
